Mail-bag.



P. B.. CLARKE.

MAIL BAG. l APPLICATION FILED FEB.16, 1914.

WITN ESSES:

rHE NaRms PETERS ca.. PHnTo-LITHo., WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

FISHER R. CLARKE, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

MAIL-BAG.

Application led February 16, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FISHER R. CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bags, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in mail bags.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a simple, substantial and durable mail bag, which is so constructed that the upper end of same may be made shorter and folded in such a manner that the opening is considerably contracted without decreasing the capacity of the bag.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for closing the contracted folded opening of the bag, and to provide means for drawing the sides and closure tightly together.

Further objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which'- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper end of the bag showing it in the open position. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the upper end of the bag in perspective. Fig.y 3 is a cross section of the upper end of the bag. Fig.. 4 is a front view of the bag.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the bag proper, which is constructed in most cases of heavy canvas. The upper open end of the bag is reinforced on two opposite sides, and is creased at an angle with relation to the straight sides of the bag on lines 2, 3 and 4 to form V-shaped sections 5 and 6 which are adapted to fold inwardly and downwardly in the direction of arrow a when the bag is closed. This construction insures the mouth being much shorter than the width of the main portion, less fastenings and a safer and more rigid structure.

Suitably secured to the upper front edge of the bag is a reinforcing leather strip 7, the ends of which project partly beyond the folding edge or crease 4, as indicated at 8. Similarly secured to the rear side yofthe bag and being sufficiently wide to project a little beyond the fold or crease 2 is a flapmember 9, to which is secured, asD at 10, akvvjpair of curved locking bolts 11. Suitably secured to the interior surface of the rear sidefof the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

serial No. 818,906. l

The folded sections 5 and 6, on each side y of the bag, are provided with eyelets 15 and 16, the interior diameters of which are sufficiently large to pass over the cylindrical extensions 13 formed on the locks. The front edge of the bag, to which the reinforcing strip 7 is secured, is similarly provided with eyelets which are also adapted to pass over the cylindrical extensions or keepers 13. The several foldable sections, together with the front face of the bag can thus be folded over the keepers 13 and locked in this position bythe bolts 11. The upper end of the bag will thus be considerably contracted, when folded andwhen locked in this position will also be completely covered by the fla 9.

rllhe curved lock bolts will cause the folds of the 'bag vand flap to be drawn tightly together, as indicated in Fig. 3, when the bolts are thrown over into locking position with relation to the keepers 13; this being caused by the cam action which is produced by the keeperand curved bolts. The tight closure formed in this manner will positively preventadmission to the bag when this 1s locked,A and the overlapping of the project-v ing ends formed on the flap and reinforcing strip 7 will protect 'the folds of the bag and guard these against unnecessary wear.

vThe particular construction of the locks does not forml any part of the present invention. These locks may be snap locks and in order to lock the bag it is only necessary to pass the bolts. into the sockets 14: of the keepers. The bag can only be opened by authorized persons having possession of the proper key which is inserted through a key plate 18 secured to the side of the bag, as at 19.

The bolts may be considerably reinforced by forming them of T cross sections, as indicated at 11a, and the sockets 14 may be of similar shape to produce the greatest strength possible without interfering with the cam action in closing, and the securing flange 20 of same, together with the base of the lock, indicated at 17, may be attened and reduced as much as possible to permit a compact and tight closure of the-bag. The advantages of this construction, are first, by

curate closing. By the angular inward di.

recticn of the folds the eyelets and the locks may be placed at such a distance below the mouth as to increase the security of the fas tening and allow the bag mouth to be closely drawn together by the overlapping flap, which result in increased by the cam or drawing action of the hook shaped bolts as they enter and engage the receiving sockets.'

The above construction while contracting the mouth of the bag into a conical compact form, leaves the whole lower portion of the full size and capacity with little or no reduction, and a very great increase in the rapidity of handling. When the bag is hung up by the suspending rings to be filled it presents a wide rectangular opening to receive letters and objects thrown from a distance in the usual manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A bag mouth having parallel reinforced sides of 'less length than the width of the bag and intermediate inwardly foldable V- shaped end portions, diverging from the ends'of the side portion to the wider portion of the bag, coacting eyelets, and lock extensions, andbolts fixed to the rear flap andy adapted to enter the lock extensions, said bolts and lock extension sockets being curvedon a radius of movement of the closing 'flap and 'of 'l' form in cross section.

2. A mail bag consisting of a body having a mouth, a flap for closing the mouth connected to thebackof the body and having a free part foldable'overthe front of the body,

copies f uns patent may be @mama for locks secured to the back of the mouth and having substantially cylindrical extensions provided with sockets which are curved outwardly and upwardly at the front ends thereof to provide cam faces, locking bolts having similar cam faces borne by the free' part of the flap, the front part of the mouth having eyelets which are adapted to receive the lock extensions and to also receive the bolts to enable the latter to enter the sockets and engage the cani faces thereof so as to draw the free part of the flap downwardly anderer the mouth.

3. A mail bag consisting of a body having a mouth, a iap for closing the mouth connected to the back of the body and having a free part foldable over the front of the body.I locks having extensions formed with sockets secured to the back of the mouth, the front part of the mouth having eyelets adapted to receive the lock extensions, and locking bolts on the free part of the flap adapted to pass through the eyelets and to enter the sockets of the lock extensions.

4. A mail bag consisting of a body having a mouth, a flap for closing themouth connected to the back of the body and having a free part foldable over the front of the body, locks having extensions formed with sockets secured to the back of the mouth, the front part of the mouth having eyelets adapted to receive the lock extensions, locking bolts on the free part of the iaps adapted to pass through the eyelets and to enter the sockets of the lock extensions, and means whereby when the bolts enter the sockets the free part of the flap will be drawn downwardly over the mouth of the bag. Y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. l

FISHER R. CLARKE.

Witnesses T. HUDSON, M. D. GLIDDEN.

ve cents each, by addressing die Commissioner of Patents,

, Washington, D. C. 

